Year 4C · Grade 8: Deponents and Semi-deponents
Read passive endings as active meanings, and notice verbs that change only in the perfect.
What to notice
- deponent verbs
- semi-deponents
- passive form, active meaning
Explanation
A deponent verb uses passive endings with an active meaning. Miror, mirari, miratus sum means I admire or I wonder at. Miratus est means he admired, not he was admired. Sequitur means he follows. Profectus est, from proficiscor, means he set out.
A semi-deponent is active in the present system and deponent in the perfect. Audeo, audere, ausus sum means I dare, I dared. Gaudeo, gaudere, gavisus sum means I rejoice, I rejoiced. The present audeo looks like an ordinary active verb. The perfect ausus est looks passive and means he dared.
Examples
- Miratus est. — He admired. Passive form, active meaning.
- Sequitur. — He follows. The present already looks passive.
- Profectus est. — He set out. From proficiscor.
- Ausus est. — He dared. Audeo is semi-deponent.
- Gavisus est. — He rejoiced. From gaudeo, gavisus sum.
Latin in this lesson
- Miratus est. — he admired
- Profectus est. — he set out
- Sequitur. — he follows
- Ausus est. — he dared
- audeo — active in the present
- Gavisus est. — he rejoiced